Sounds like you are far from a novice! I would recommend getting some 20oz paper cups (or 60 18oz for 12.00) and putting a couple holes in the bottom and using them to plant in, with good soil. On watering, I only water our many (thank God) growing plants about twice a week at the most.
The cups may be a good idea, as with their size the soil in them would not dry out so fast, so I would not have to begin trips away with the plants basically in a swamp (to not dry out by the time I returned). It’ll take up more room, but I think I can make it work. Then I can move the light closer, but it will only then cover one “shelf” of plants, so to do the 2nd shelf I’ll need another light. I could probably steal one* from my shop as business is dead anyway. (If I need to get into the area in question - it’s mostly storage - I have multiple head flashlights.) Maybe add a timer (or two) and a fan. Yeah, I have most all the stuff needed, on hand. Wish I’d salvaged the cups from the last big party my wife’s friends threw... :-)
*That bright LED light overwintered a bunch of our plants well this winter, even my wife’s 3 potted Malunggay (moringa) trees. (She prunes them way back and then they sprout back to life each spring — all 3 are looking good.) Even the medium size potted tomato plant I brought in survived ok.
Our 6-10 day and 8-14 day forecasts call for warmer than avg. weather, so, I think the risk of frosts may finally be over for this spring. However, we usually get at least one modest hail storm in May / June , so seedlings outside are very dicey. Even heavy rain can beat ‘em down very badly. Bigger plants usually survive if the hail is only pea size...